1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a remote control signal transmission device capable of being compatible with, for example, television receivers of a plurality of manufacturers.
2. Description of Related Art
Various control operations such as the turning on and off of the power supply, station selection and sound volume adjustment are usually carried out by a viewer of a conventional television receiver using transmission of remote control signals from a remote control unit of a wireless transmission device (hereinafter referred to as a remote commander).
When station selections, channel settings, are made frequently, the channel setting can be carried out by direct station selection using so-called numeric keys corresponding to numerals of, for example, [1] to [12], or stepped up/down station selection using a see-saw type operation key or a pair of mechanically independent operation keys.
When both of direct station selection and up/down station selection are adopted, the up/down station select keys are arranged in a position that provides ease of operation and the size of these keys is often made large.
Further, it is usual for the remote commanders to adopt stepped up/down control using see-saw type or independent operation keys for sound volume adjustment involving a high degree of setting freedom and a high frequency of operation.
The operation keys for sound volume adjustment are also to be arranged at a position that provides ease of operation.
Video Tape Recorders (VTRs) are also controlled in channel setting during picture recording, sound volume adjustment during playback and the tape transport etc. using a similar remote commander.
Further, the code format of the remote control signal also differs depending on the manufacturer of the television receiver etc.
Recently, however, pre-programmable remote commanders referred to as universal remote controllers that are compatible with television receivers of a plurality of manufacturers have come on the market. These types of remote commanders come mounted with memory for storing a plurality of code conversion tables so as to provide compatibility with the control codes of each manufacturer.
Before starting to use the remote commander, the manufacturer of, for example, a television receiver that is to become the control target is selected by the user and a code conversion table corresponding to this manufacturer is entered (manufacturer setting). When this manufacturer setting is completed, remote control signals are transmitted from the remote commander with the code format for the manufacturer entered.
A code table of registration numbers corresponding to a plurality of manufacturers is usually given in operation manuals for pre-programmable remote commanders, with the user then being able to carry out manufacturer setting by referring to this code table.
Although the procedures for setting the manufacturer of, for example, television receivers differ depending on the pre-programmed remote commander, one example is as follows.
a. one or two digits of numerals of manufacturer code corresponding to the desired manufacturer are inputted while pressing the TV power supply key of the remote commander.
b. numerals of manufacturer code corresponding to the desired manufacturer are inputted two or three times while pressing the TV power supply key of the remote commander.
c. one or two digits of numerals of manufacturer code corresponding to the desired manufacturer are input while pressing the setting key of the remote commander.
d. one or two digits of numerals of manufacturer code corresponding to the desired manufacturer are inputted while pressing the setting key of the remote commander and the enter key is finally pressed.
However, with the above pre-programmed remote commander, there can be cases where a setting can be released, or one of the above procedures a to d for another manufacturer setting can be accidentally executed to cause setting of undesired manufacturer while, for example, a small child is playing with the remote commander after the desired manufacturer settings have been carried out.
In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the present invention to provide a remote control signal transmission device capable of ensuring that accidental release of the setting of the manufacturer or the setting of an undesired manufacturer does not occur after setting of the manufacturer of the remote commander has been carried out.